Domaine Gayrard Loin de l'Oeil, Gaillac Blanc 2021

Made with the local variety Loin de l'Oeil from a parcel of old vines growing on shallow limestone soils, this is hand-harvested and fermented in barrels, before being matured for a further 12 months on lees in 400l oak barrels. It's a rich and layered wine with a delicate finesse. Blossom and honeyed aromas with orchard fruit notes and lead onto a rich and rounded palate with pear and ripe stone fruit flavours, those honeyed notes and touches of exotic spice with light almond notes on the finish. The acidity is fine and balanced with the wine having great structure and a delicacy running throughout.

Try with scallops, white fish, pork tenderloin or veal cutlets.

In the rolling hills of Gaillac, Domaine Gayrard has been growing vines for about 500 years. It fell to Maurice Gayrard in the 1950s to kick-started modern wine production by being on of the first to start estate bottling. Fast forward to the early 2010s, when Pierre and Laure Fabre breathed new life into the estate. They replanted indigenous varieties, like the scarce Braucol and Loin d’Oeil, and expanded their holdings with vines from the neighbouring Château Moussans. Today, Domaine Gayrard spans over 30 hectares, all organically certified and biodynamically managed since 2019.